Hunted
by DarkHeartMistress
Summary: Akashi Ayame enters the Cross Academy as a Day Class student and niece of Chairman Cross. She spent the last several years abroad after her parents deaths. She comes to live with her uncle and cousin,bringing some well kept secrets. K/OC Y/Z
1. Rainy Days

Hello everyone, got a new story here for you... I couldn't resist myself after watching the anime. -smiles wickedly- So I've got a new story for all of you... As always, please review, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside to know people enjoy or hate my fic... -glares at haters- I give cookies to those who review!!

Rating: The reason this is rated M is for future language, situations, and possibly lemony goodness

Pairs: Kaname/OC, Yuki/Zero(not so much, but will still be there)

Summary: Akashi Ayame enters the Cross Academy as a Day Class student and niece of Chairman Cross. She has spent the last several years studying abroad after her parent's deaths. She comes to live with her uncle and meet her adopted cousin, bringing some well kept secrets with her.

Disclaimer: Oh the sorrow... the only things I own in this tragic world are Ayame and the story... -cries as men in black suits pull Kaname away-

_Chapter One  
Rainy Days  
By DarkHeartMistress_

The dark hues of the sky told the viewers below that rain was threatening to pour down soon. Despite being nearly noon, not much light was provided by the ominously black sky above. Such was the scene as a white and blue taxi cab drove up the driveway to the Cross Academy. The thunder roared above, warning the inhabitants below to take cover soon or else be drenched in the coming rain.

Upon arrival at the front steps of the main building, a blond haired man stood at the entrance… waiting. As the taxi cab stopped, he descended the steps and smiled brightly at the young woman who emerged from the back seat. Her black hair was pulled back, giving the impression that at full length it would reach just past her shoulders. She looked young enough to be a student and was wearing knee length jean shorts and a light blue t-shirt, not yet wearing one of the uniforms designated for the academy.

In response she offered him a smile which partially showed true happiness in her blue-green eyes, yet hid a sadness which was created by some old memories which held both positive and negative associations.

"Ayame-chan!!" Chairman Cross cried out as he engulfed the young woman in a big hug which picked her up off of her feet. She truly smiled at this. _Nothing much has changed about you, huh Uncle?_ She thought to herself before being released from his over joyous hug which lasted a good minute or so.

"Uncle…" She responded with a nod of her head. Ayame was not much of a speaker and a simple movement was enough for her to convey her thoughts.

"It's been so long Ayame-chan." Chairman Cross gushed as he smiled in glee. Ayame did not quite know how to respond to so much energetic happiness so she just nodded simply and moved to the back of the taxi cab to get her one and only suitcase. Still excited, the Chairman paid the driver then ushered Ayame up the steps of the main building just as the first droplet fell onto Ayame's nose. Glancing up, she sighed as her smile faded. So this was her welcome to Cross Academy… cheerful, wasn't it?

* * *

Entering the building, the Chairman led Ayame through the halls to his office. No students were about, seeing as it was the middle of the day and classes were well in progress. Ayame was familiar with the Academy. She had been their once as a very young child with her parents and again for several weeks after their deaths. After their deaths she had decided to study abroad and had not returned for nearly six years.

"Come into my office, Ayame-chan," Chairman Cross said as he opened a solid oak door and led her into the room. Without being offered, Ayame took a seat by the fire and looked around the room. Although it was not extremely cold, it was the beginning of fall, and the air held a definite 

chill to it. She was comfortable in the office and she smiled at a fond memory of it. "We'll be having two people join us soon, so we must make this discussion brief." Chairman Cross said as he sat down at his desk and glanced through the papers that were already neatly resting there.

Ayame nodded and waited for him to begin as she stared at the titles on his bookshelf. "Firstly, you already know what goes on here at the Academy, with the Day and Night class students. You also know how you are expected to behave while on school grounds…" He gave her a pointed look over the rim of his glasses and she nodded her head once more in understanding. "You'll be meeting Yuki and Zero soon. They are the two guardians, so you know how to behave around them." He handed her a packet of papers which included school policies and such as well as a bag containing her new school uniform. Taking them, she placed the items with her suitcase just as there was a knock on the office door and two people entered.

"Yuki! Zero! I'm so glad you two are here to meet Ayame-chan!" Chairman Cross said. Ayame was slightly irked by the high pitched voice her uncle used when saying her name and she got the feeling he just liked using the –chan part because it was 'cute', but she still smiled at the two people who entered. She had never formally met her adopted cousin, Yuki, but had seen her briefly on her last visit to the Academy. Zero was a new face to her and his cold countenance was met with an equally bored look from Ayame. Treat kindness with kindness, was one of her motto's.

"Ayame-chan, this is Yuki your cousin, and Zero. Yuki, Zero, this is my niece Ayame-chan!" Chairman Cross continued. Yuki smiled in return and introduced herself again while walking up to the now standing Ayame.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you!" Yuki smiled.

"Yuki is sixteen and Ayame-chan is seventeen, so you two should get along quite well." Chairman Cross put in.

"It's a pleasure." Ayame responded briefly, nodding in return to Yuki and sending another nod in Zero's direction.

"Don't mind him, he's always like that." Yuki said, noticing Ayame acknowledgement in Zero's direction.

"Now then, go show Ayame-chan to her room. She's already aware of the goings on here, so no tour or rules need be explained. I'm sure she's tired after her journey." Chairman Cross said as he walked back up to Ayame to give her a final hug. "Remember to have fun," he said in a high, cheerful voice and then adding in a softer undertone which only Ayame could hear, "Stay out of trouble."

She nodded once more in acquiescence and then gathered her belongings before leaving his office.

* * *

Several hours later Ayame found herself sitting on the bed in her dorm room. Her roommate was at dinner. The girl seemed incredibly superficial and annoying. The storm had not yet ceased and Ayame was enjoying watching the rain fall outside of her window. The rain always seemed to calm her when she was upset. It had been raining the day she was born, at least that was what she had been told. It had been raining the day her parents died. It had been raining the day she left to study abroad. Now it was raining on her first day at the Cross Academy.

She smiled slightly to herself as she gazed out at the water falling from the sky. It was dinner time, but she was not hungry. She had finished unpacking her meager belongings and had decided to skip dinner to avoid the loud noise which was sure to be within the dining room. Once the rain cleared she intended to take a walk on the old, familiar grounds. Maybe if the clouds cleared, she would be able to see the stars, for it was now near sunset.

* * *

The sound of footsteps echoed in the quiet of the night as Ayame walked down the concrete pathway outside of the main building. She sighed as she looked up at the night sky, still slightly cloudy from the day's thunderstorm. It must have been well past eleven o'clock and Ayame was enjoying the alone time offered to her at the moment. Her roommate was just as whiny and annoying as Ayame's first impression of her and as soon as she had fallen asleep Ayame had left the room.

The walk was her way of re-familiarizing herself with the school which had offered her comfort after the death of her parents six years ago. Standing on the terrace she walked to the ledge and leaned against it as she peered out over the grounds, illuminated only by the full moon overhead. She took off her jacket and placed it on the ledge before jumping up and sitting down upon it.

She sat there staring out across the grounds for some time until movement caught her eye. Three figures were walking along the pathway below her. Her eyes watched them intently; having a very good idea who they were. The three people were dressed in white uniforms.

_Definitely the Night Class…_she contemplated for a moment before continuing to watch them. They had stopped walking and were now talking in what seemed like a vehement discussion about something. She cocked her head to the side in slight amusement as one of them with blonde hair shouted angrily at his two companions.

Apparently her slight movement had caught the attention of one of the others and he stopped paying attention to the blonde haired man and was now watching her. His pause had attracted the attention of the other two men beside him and they were now watching her with as much interest at she was watching them.

"Who is that?" Aidou questioned stilling staring at the young girl sitting on the ledge up on the terrace. He had never seen her and usually by now most girls would be screaming and jumping up and down in excitement at being within viewing distance of any members of the Night Class. However this girl was watching them with an amused look on her face.

"Maybe she's a transfer student…" replied Kain.

"Hmmm…" muttered Shiki as he also watched the young woman.

Ayame was slightly amused by their ponderous expressions. She sighed as she looked down at the ground. It wasn't a far drop, only fifteen feet or so. She blinked once and then leaped from the ledge pulling her jacket along with her. She landed in a crouched position with only a slight impact.

The three Night Class students were taken aback by her sudden change in position. Smirking, Aidou approached her first. Shiki and Kain followed suit. The three men stopped several feet from her and she watched them quietly. She was interested in the Night Class and held no fear for them. These students were not dangerous to her. She could handle most things thrown at her and these three were no different, even though the fact that there was more than one did bother her a little bit if things should digress.

"Who are you cutie?" Aidou asked in a flirtatious voice.

Ayame smirked slightly at him and instead replied, "What are your names?"

"I asked you first." Aidou said cheerfully. However, Ayame merely continued to watch them without saying anything. Aidou was beginning to be annoyed by her attitude and wanted a response.

"I'm Shiki." Shiki put in before things could get a little uncomfortable. "That's Kain and that's Aidou."

"I wanted her to answer first!" Aidou complained glaring at Shiki. Kain stared boredly at the two men beside him before looking at her again.

Ayame nodded at Shiki and the others before turning on her heel and walking in the opposite direction, her jacket slung over her arm.

"Hey!" Aidou shouted angrily. "I want your name girl." He demanded moving to stand in front of her, blocking her path.

"Aidou, don't cause trouble." Shiki warned as he watched his classmate.

"I just think this girl needs some manners." Aidou muttered as he approached Ayame and stood face to face with her. "Come on sweetheart," he asked cupping her face with his hand, "what's your name?"

Ayame's eyes deadpanned as she looked at him. Her hand shot up, grabbing his wrist upon contact with her face. "Don't," she spoke softly as the pressure she exerted on his hand increased, "touch me."

Aidou stared at her, bewildered by her reaction and attitude, before getting angry. His other hand came up in a move to slap her, but before he could touch her, her right leg shot out and kicked him in the stomach. He was sent flying backwards onto the wet grass.

There was silence as the other two students watched Ayame who remained where she stood, her eyes glaring at the man in the grass. She shot a glance over her shoulder at the two other students, a silent challenge for them to mess with her.

"Hey girlie, that wasn't very nice." Kain spoke as he walked around her to Aidou who was sputtering in fury on the ground where he had fallen.

"How dare that little bitch!" Aidou screamed as he stood up trying to wipe the grass off of his clothing while glaring at Ayame. His angry eyes watched Ayame as she stared back equally annoyed. His anger took over as he stalked towards her, murderous intention in his gaze.

Ayame stood quietly, allowing him to approach until he was directly in front of her. His hand reached out to grab her; however she ducked to the side, aiming another kick at his abdomen. He grabbed her foot and was about to pull her off of her feet, when her hand shot out and punched him in the nose. He screamed in pain and anger as his hands went up to clutch his face. Ayame took the chance to kick him again, this time she sent him flying into Shiki who had been watching from the sidelines.

"That's it!" Kain ground out, aggravated by her blatant disrespect for them. He charged her. Ayame watched him approach, ready for the next attack.

"Enough."

The calm words were barely audible, but Kain stopped immediately and glanced over Ayame's shoulder at the person who had spoken. Ayame could tell it was someone new. The voice was unfamiliar, yet she could feel a strong prescience behind her, which made her slightly uncomfortable. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and she turned slightly to view the person who had halted the attack.

Standing before her was a tall man in the dress of a Night Class student. His dark eyes watched her passively as he stood ten feet away. Aidou and Shiki had also paused their movements and were watching him, waiting for something, but Ayame did not know what.

"Kaname-sama." Kain spoke reverently.

Kaname seemed to ignore Kain as he continued to stare at Ayame blankly. She was slightly unnerved by this man.

"Who might you be?" He asked quietly, his eyes never leaving hers.

Ayame watched him in silence with no reply. The name Kaname seemed familiar, yet she could not quite place it. What was his last name? She had an urge to answer him, but her better judgment told her not to. Any connection with him could be bad. He seemed to be an important person in the Night Class.

"Ayame-san!" a female shout echoed through the night, effectively halting the tension filled mood of the group. Yuki came running from down one of the side paths, Zero close behind her. Upon reaching the group, Yuki approached Ayame. "You know you shouldn't be out after sunset."

Ayame nodded and stared ahead quietly, still watching Kaname who was returning the favor, but a soft smile was on his face.

"Kaname-senpai…" Yuki said turning around to face the man who had saved her as a child. He had a strange look on his face as he assessed Ayame. She was surprised by the tension of the atmosphere around the group of people.

"Yuki, Zero." Kaname acknowledged quietly as he glanced at Yuki and then at Zero.

"Kuran." Zero responded blandly. His stare was steadied on Kaname, who had returned to staring at Ayame.

Ayame stiffened almost invisibly, but the vampires around her had noticed the tension in her body. _K… K… Kuran… there's no way…_Ayame's startled eyes stared into the darker eyes of Kaname before she looked over at Yuki who had begun speaking again.

"I'm sorry Kaname-senpai; Ayame-san is a new transfer student. I think she forgot the rules a little bit." Yuki spoke in apology.

"So it's Ayame." Kaname said absently. "Welcome." He said smiling at her.

Ayame stared at him once more before turning on her heel and walking back towards the Day Class dorm. She had nothing to say. She was silently trying to regain her composure after the disturbing encounter. Her walk was brisk as she returned to the dorm.

"Yuki, follow her and make sure she returns to the dorm." Zero spoke as he watched the four vampires in front of him.

"Okay," Yuki said as she ran off after Ayame.

"Please stay away from Day Class students." Zero stated as he watched the men in front of him.

"Of course." Kaname replied as he and the other three vampires turned and walked away.

* * *

Back inside her dorm room, Ayame sat once more looking out the window at the darkened grounds of Cross Academy. How could things have ended up this way? Why was a Kuran here? Her luck seemed to be pretty bad right now. She knew she was going to end up getting into trouble at this school, but for the time being Cross Academy was also the safest place for her to be. She had spent six years running away from her past. This was the only place she had left to run to.

She sighed quietly to herself as she glanced down at her hands. Several small scars were visible on both of her hands. There were matching ones on her back as well, but not too many. She closed her eyes as several memories came back to her.

* * *

_Blue-green eyes opened slowly, filtering in the bright light, made more intense by the white room she was currently in. She could feel straps around her legs and arms. Nothing new to the young child who lay on the bed however. The child was only about nine, with a soft young face and midnight black hair cut at her ears in an uneven cut. She would almost look like a young boy, if not for her definitely feminine face. _

"_How is the little miss doing today?" Spoke a man as he entered the room wearing a doctor's white jacket and holding a clipboard in his hand._

_Ayame's eyes glanced over at him briefly and then returned to staring at the ceiling. She did not know what would be happening next, but she could guess._

_Several nurses soon entered the room and began checking the monitors which were hooked up to the small body strapped to the table._

_The doctor and nurses spoke softly to each other for a moment before they approached the child. One of the nurses handed the doctor a sterilized knife, while another loosened the straps on the table to turn Ayame's hand over. The straps were quickly re-fastened and the nurse proceeded to hold the child's hand open, studying several of the small scars on her palm._

_Another nurse stood by with a needle and she walk over to the child who stared absently in front of her at the ceiling. It was best to block out what these people were doing to her._

_The nurse inserted the needle into the juncture of her elbow and inserted a small dosage of a watered down red substance. Ayame never quite knew what the chemical was, but she had heard bits and pieces about it while acting as if she were not paying any attention._

_It was another five minutes before the head doctor proceeded towards her, knife in hand. He smiled in what Ayame was sure was trying to be a gentle manner, but his smile simply sickened her as the knife in his hand bit slightly into the tender skin of her palm. _

_She forced herself not to blink as droplets of red blood pooled at the surface of her skin. Another of the nurses stood by with a clipboard, scribbling quickly onto the parchment located there. Not but a few moments later, Ayame sighed as she felt the stinging of the wound begin to ease as the cut slowly knit itself back together, forming a raw, new scar on the skin of her palm._

_The doctor and nurses had begun checking the monitors again, calling out numbers so that the nurse with the clipboard could copy down the information. Ayame ignored them, her head finally falling to the side to look at a large glass window which covered almost half of one of the walls. _

_For the first time, someone was standing on the other side of the window. She was slightly surprised because she had never yet seen anyone other than the daily doctors and nurses which attended to her._

_The man's dark features frightened her and unnerved her. Was he the one behind all of this? She could not possibly guess at the moment. All she knew was that this weekly occurrence happened for almost two years. The doctor would come in, she would be injected with the unnamed substance, and then she would be cut. It was the same routine, twice a week._

_The only reason this day was different was because there had been an unknown visitor. She had later discovered that the dark man's name was _Kuran_._

* * *

Ayame shivered at the memories caused by looking at her scars. She sighed quietly as she fell back onto her bed. Her eyes closed, but sleep did not find her for several minutes.

* * *

So... What did you all think. Reviews are welcome. Lovers and haters are equally invited to flame me as well. Flamers just don't get cookies XD -pulls out an oven tray with cookies on it- Come and get 'em!

Until next time...  
-DHM


	2. Dark Nights

Aren't I nice... new chapter already... despite only one freaking review -glares at all the readers who ignore-

Disclaimer: I don't own, but I'll give the creator a box of cookies if I can have Kaname... what do ya say?

_Chapter Two  
Dark Nights  
By DarkHeartMistress_

The storm from the previous day had left no trace upon the grounds of Cross Academy. The early morning sun shined down brightly upon the school, effectively drying whatever remnants of the storm from the previous day were left. The students of the Day Class were walking from their dorm to the main school building. The excitement at a fresh, new day created a happy atmosphere around the group of students as they filtered into the building.

Ayame had immediately separated herself from the groups of students who walked together towards the school. She wanted nothing to do with their meaningless conversations about the Night Class students and how cute they were. She rolled her eyes as two of the girls walking in front of her squealed loudly. The sound grated on Ayame's ears, effectively irritating her.

"Ayame-san!" a voice called out from behind Ayame. She turned around to see Yuki running towards her excitedly. "I hope you were not too unhappy about last night. The Night Class is kind of an odd bunch." Yuki said trying to come up with an explanation for the tension from the previous night.

"It's fine." Ayame said quietly as they began walking again.

"There are rules not to go out after night-time." Yuki said as she took on her guardian committee tone. "Ayame-san, it's important to follow these rules so that there is no trouble between the Day Class and Night Class."

"Whatever." Ayame said as she continued walking. "You can call me Aya." She disliked honorifics and was tired of being called Ayame-san and Ayame-chan… Ayame had only allowed a few people to call her by that nickname; none of whom were still alive except one.

"Okay Aya," Yuki said as she tested out the new title. "Anyways, Zero should be waiting for us in our first class. Hopefully it won't be too hard for you to catch up since you're transferring in and everything." Her tone was happy as they walked the rest of the way to their first class.

Aya was not impressed by the happy atmosphere. She was still slightly perturbed by the previous night's activities, but she decided this would be her first official day at Cross Academy so she might as well _try _to enjoy it.

* * *

The morning classes went by quickly for Ayame. She had learned much of the information last year at a school in France. The information was nothing new and the teachers seemed pleased by her vague, yet correct responses to questions. She had even taken a pop quiz and passed. She sighed thinking back to the classes. They would be easy enough and she wouldn't have to spend too much time worrying about them, which left her plenty of time for other things.

Yuki was in all of her classes with her. Although Yuki was extremely happy about many things, Ayame found her to be less annoying than many of the other girls. She didn't talk about the Night Class constantly or drool at the sight of them, so it was easier for Ayame to begin considering her cousin as a good person whom she could get along with easily.

The rest of the day passed quickly for Ayame. Yuki had a strange way of making Ayame happier and by the end of the day Ayame had actually ended up laughing at one of Yuki's comments about Zero. Zero had ignored her, casting blank stares in her direction whenever Yuki had said his name too loudly. Ayame found herself finding his personality slightly similar to hers, quiet and contemplative.

"We have to go do some of our guardian duties now," Yuki said as Zero started dragging her off towards a mob of Day Class girls who were screaming and cheering. It was now sunset, and the clear sky held an array of colors ranging from red to gold.

Ayame watched from a distance as Zero and Yuki held back the large mass of Day Class girls screaming and squealing at the Night Class students who were walking towards the main school building. She was taken aback for a moment as she caught sight of Kaname, who made eye contact with her briefly before smiling at her and continuing on his way. Ayame was surprised to find her palms sweating in anxiety. She was highly confused. Why was he even in the school? Did he have any connection to…

Shaking her head, Ayame turned and walked away from the bustling crowd of girls. _How can they be so obsessed? _She thought to herself with a sigh.

* * *

Once more Ayame found herself outside after sunset. If Yuki found her she would be very upset. Picturing Yuki's upset face made Ayame smile. She was a funny girl. For a moment Ayame paused in her walking. She had never considered anyone her friend. Was Yuki her first friend? She shook her head confused. Sighing Ayame continued her walk down one of the paths of the school.

A noise ahead caught Ayame's attention. She paused once again slightly before peering behind one of the large oak trees. Three girls stood in a small circle talking to each other excitedly. They had not yet noticed Ayame, but she recognized one of them as her roommate. The other two she had never seen before.

_What are they doing?_ Ayame wondered as she listened to their conversation.

"We're sure to get the pictures right?" A brown haired, mousy looking girl asked.

_They must be trying to get pictures of the Night Class. When do these girls ever stop? _Ayame thought to herself, quite annoyed by their obsession.

"Of course Mia-san!" Spoke Ayame's roommate, a tall blonde, excitedly.

"Rika-san, you brought the cameras right?" Spoke the third girl to Ayame's roommate, who looked similar to Rika, only shorter with brown hair.

Haughtily Rika turned on the third girl, anger evident in her tone, "Whose idea do you think this was? Of course I brought the cameras Nouki-san."

Nouki nodded in response to Rika. "Well now, let's go find them!" Rika said happily as she handed a camera to each of the other girls.

"That's not a good idea." Ayame said from where she stood next to the tree, now in plain view of the three girls. The three girls stopped their movements in shock, however Rika quickly regained herself.

"Don't interfere new girl." Rika responded angrily. No one was getting between her and the Night Class students, especially Kaname-senpai.

"We'll do as we please. You're not on the guardian committee, so you can't do anything to us." Nouki said a bit courageously.

Ayame closed her eyes in annoyance as her fists clenched. She was extremely annoyed by this point. _What little… brats…_

"That was just a warning. If you plan to continue you will face punishment." She warned them once more, her eyes opening and giving them an annoyed glare.

"Who's going to stop us? You?" Rika laughed haughtily.

Ayame simply watched them. If they made any moves to continue she would have to handle them. _I think a roommate change will be in order after this is over. Why did I get myself involved?_

"Come on girls." Rika said authoritatively as she began to walk past Ayame, the other girls followed quickly after her.

Ayame's hand shot out and grabbed Rika's arms as the girl passed her. Rika paused instantly at the pressure exerted upon her arm. Rika's other hand went up to slap the girl holding her. Ayame saw the movement coming and her other arm came up blocking the hit. Her other hand exerted more pressure onto the helpless girl. Ayame was not going to take any crap from these stupid girls.

She took Rika's moment of shock to use her own body weight to throw her over her shoulder and onto the ground. Rika landed with a loud 'oomph'. The other girls stared in shock at Ayame, surprised that the new transfer student would use physical force against them.

"Get her you fools. We won't get the pictures if she stops us!" Rika demanded angrily.

_Get me…? You've got to be kidding…_ Ayame was a little dumbfounded by the stupidity of these girls. That and the desperateness of their actions.

The other two girls hesitated, looking at their fallen leader. Were the pictures worth the possibility of punishment for being caught outside after dark? Without looking back, Nouki and Mia took off running in the direction of the Day Class dormitory, leaving Rika to sputter in anger and disbelief on the ground.

Ayame stared down at the angry teenage girl for a moment. _That wasn't so hard…_ she thought to herself. Rika calmed for a moment before pushing herself to her feet and brushing herself off. The look she sent Ayame's way was meant to kill, but Ayame had built up defenses to such pitiful things as that over the years and was unperturbed by the malice in the girl's gaze. Rika had been successfully embarrassed and punished for the night. As long as she returned to her dorm Ayame would have nothing else to do with her. That's _if_ she behaved and went back to her dorm.

"Don't think this is over new girl. You'll get what's coming to you for this!" Rika threatened as she stomped off angrily towards the dormitory after the other girls.

Ayame sighed and kicked at the ground with her shoe absentmindedly. _What a bunch of immature fools,_ she thought to herself as she ran a hand through her hair. When Ayame was irritated, she had the habit of running her hand through her hair.

"That was well handled." Came a cool, masculine voice from behind Ayame.

She reeled around on her heel in surprise. Light met dark as Ayame's eyes met Kaname's. He stood watching her from several feet away, his tall body leaning casually against one of the large oak trees. Ayame nearly jumped out of her skin upon viewing him standing there. Her palms had become sweaty once more and she looked on him with a mixture of apprehension, fear, and anxiety. She had been contemplating how to handle his presence up until this point and now he was standing in front of her, which wasn't exactly helping matters.

"Didn't know I had an audience." She snapped back, finally regaining her composure. She set her jaw stubbornly and fixed a cold stare in his direction. _You want to throw me off guard? Just try it…_ she silently challenged him with her eyes.

As if he heard her thoughts, Kaname laughed. The softness of his voice surprised Ayame, but she kept herself in check; not moving a muscle.

"Just passing by… Ayame-san." He spoke, watching her with his dark eyes.

"No one gave you permission to call me anything." She responded coldly, silently adding'you arrogant prick' at the end of her sentence.

Kaname made a 'tsch'-ing sound as if he were scolding her. "Where are your manners?" He said as he pushed away from the tree and began to approach her. Ayame watched him closely as the distance between them shortened.

"I'm not going to bite." Kaname spoke as he stood not even two feet from her. Ayame was surprised by his closeness. Her gaze locked with his as she attempted to find out the reason for his sudden proximity. His comment made her want to send back a snappy retort. What she had in mind though would reveal that she knew about his kind and she wasn't sure if she wanted the vampires to know that she knew all about them yet.

As she stood contemplating for a moment, she did not realize that his right hand had come up and brushed a strand of her midnight hair, which had fallen in front of her eyes, out of the way and behind her ear. She jumped when his hand made contact with the side of her cheek. Her eyes looked spooked or a moment. She was unprepared for their close proximity and the fact that he had just touched her was something she was definitely not ready for.

Ayame broke eye contact with him and took a few steps backward, her eyes watching his form. Making eye contact, she decided, was a _very_ bad idea if he could make her lose track of what was going on around her. Kaname remained where he was, his calm gaze fixed on her bewildered one. Before he could say anything else to her, Ayame had turned and was walking briskly away.

"I'll be seeing you again, Ayame." Kaname whispered before disappearing back into the darkness.

* * *

The next day found Ayame removing her things from her dorm room. She had gone to Chairman Cross first thing in the morning and told him it would be in the best interest of all those involved if she were to switch dorm rooms.

His response had actually been to her liking. He hadn't asked for the reason behind the change, but understood it was probably a good idea to switch her before something bad happened to her roommate. However, seeing as how all the other students were content with their roommates he did not want to move any of them and make them unhappy.

Therefore, Ayame found herself moving to a smaller, one person room which was the only room open at the moment. This suited her just fine though because she did not know if she could handle anymore of the obsessive fan girls. Her sanity could only handle so much.

Ayame was satisfied with her new room, although much smaller it served her purposes well. Seeing as how she owned little, it took her only an hour to pack up her belongings, move to her new room, and unpack them once again. Yuki had paid her a visit as well to see if there was anything she needed. Seeing as it was Saturday, they had no classes. Today would be a relaxing day for Ayame; nothing to worry about.

Hopefully.

* * *

The crowded streets of the little town were hard to navigate for Ayame. She had never once been in the town and the mass of people surrounding her was making it hard for her to find her way. That and she was slightly claustrophobic.

Having settled into her new room, Ayame hadn't bothered asking her uncle for permission before walking off the Cross Academy grounds. She had a few things she wanted to pick up in town, and seeing as it was not that far she had decided to take a little 'stroll'. This had not been the best idea however, seeing as she knew nothing about the streets and shops of the town.

Irritation finally set in as several people jostled her and one even stepped on her foot. She set her eyes on a small side street that was un-crowded and pushed her way through the mass until she was leaning against the wall in the cool shade of the building.

_And I wonder why I hate crowds…_ she thought icily to herself as she wiggled her injured toes to make sure they were alright.

"What have I gotten myself into?" Ayame asked herself aloud. Standing on her toes, she looked out over the bobbing sea of heads, trying to discern a street sign or shop name. Unable to see much, she cursed under her breath in irritation before pushing back out into the tide of people which swept her quickly down the street. Why were all of these people out and about? The thought suddenly struck her that it must be for a holiday or something like that. Having never celebrated holidays since she was a young child, Ayame was not well acquainted with them.

Finally the crowd began to thin and Ayame found herself in a less populated area. Across the street was a small noodle shop. At that moment her stomach growled slightly and she _almost_ smiled at being given the opportunity to eat something. Crossing the street she entered the little restaurant. It was several hours past lunch time and Ayame figured she should at least make an appearance at dinner to keep up appearances. That gave her a few hours to eat lunch, buy what she had come for, and return back to the academy.

* * *

It was just past five when Ayame left the little restaurant. She had asked directions to the two stores she needed to go to, convenience and clothing, from the waitress who had served her. Stepping out into the street, she felt someone watching her. A glance over her shoulder told her it was the two balding men standing at the corner.

Ignoring their looks, Ayame began her walk up the street towards the clothing store. That was more likely to close earlier and she wanted to make it there in order to avoid a second trip to the little town.

Footsteps echoed behind her. Instinct told her it was the men from before.

Up ahead, Ayame could see the little clothing store and she made her way to the door, hoping the men would be gone once she came out again.

After purchasing the extra pair of school uniform socks and another shirt, Ayame exited the little building. She was relieved that the two men were nowhere in sight. The fading light made the empty street seem deserted, giving Ayame an uncomfortable feeling. Her eyes remained wary as she began walking back down the street to where the convenience store was located at. She passed several people as she walked down towards the shop. The growing number of people told her she was soon approaching the main area of the town where the crowds had been earlier.

Suddenly, someone bumped into her, pushing her off balance. Luckily Ayame caught herself before falling to the pavement and merely stumbled a few feet. Immediately a scowl was on her face as she turned to look at the person who had run into her. He was no longer walking, but running up the street. Her eyes widened in realization that the asshole had just stolen her wallet from inside her coat pocket.

Ayame's eyes narrowed as she immediately took off after the thief as he continued running up the street before darting down a side alley way. Her determination sent her after the man who was running down small side streets in an attempt to lose her. Getting lost was not the best idea, but the jerk was not going to steal _her _wallet.

"When I catch this asshole I'm going to beat the shit out of him." Ayame muttered as she slid around another side street. She now recognized the man in front of her as one of the two men who had been following her earlier. She was quickly gaining on him due to her younger body being more in shape than his. Only a few more seconds and she would be able to catch the man.

Upon rounding the next turn, Ayame was caught off guard as a fist swung out and struck her in the face. Her body fell to the ground as pain flared from her left cheek. She had not been hit that hard in a while and small spots danced in front of her eyelids for a moment. When she opened her eyes, the man was no longer in sight and the darkness of the street prevented her from seeing which way he had gone. There were no lights where she was and she could not hear any sounds either.

"Damn it!" She cursed as she sat up from the ground, her hand going to gingerly touch her cheek. There would definitely be bruising there tomorrow. Her lip was cut as well. She dabbed at it gently with the back of her hand, already imagining the swelling she would experience later.

Ayame took her time standing back up. She was extremely angry at herself for not paying more attention to her surroundings and the muscles in her shoulder hurt from where she had landed roughly on it. She sighed heavily in irritation. It had been a long time since someone had used such a cheap shot on her and it thoroughly pissed her off that the man had gotten away with her wallet and all of her money inside. Luckily, she still had her bag from the clothing store clutched in her other hand.

Looking at her watch in the dim light, she realized that it was dinner time back at Cross Academy and that she should be getting back or face a long 'chat' with her uncle. She wasn't so much worried about the chat as having to sit through a discussion where every other sentence had 'Ayame-chan' in it.

She began making her way back down the alley way which she had come from. Ayame had absolutely no idea where she was which made matters even worse. All she could do was try and find a larger, more populated street or find someone and ask directions from. A sound from in front of her caused her to pause. It sounded like shuffling feet.

Squinting into the darkness she called out. "Hello? Excuse me, would you mind giving me directions?" She said, her tone attempting to be polite.

No response came, which irritated her even more. What a jerk! She continued moving forward again, following the sounds of the shuffling feet. Turning the corner onto another street, she found herself at the entrance of a small courtyard area. A light post shone down on the center where a man stood with his back to her.

Approaching cautiously, Ayame began to ask for directions again. His silence irritated her and her annoyance with being ignored caused her to walk up to him rashly. However, when he turned around his wild eyes caught hers. Fear edged its way into her subconscious at the sight before her.

"Level E…" she whispered.

* * *

**_Please review..._**

Thank you _hotarusgirlforever_ for reviewing! -gives a box of cookies-

Yuki: Awww. Poor Aya-chan!  
Zero: Heh. Whatever...  
Yuki: You should care more! -glares at him-  
Zero: -cricket chirp-  
Ayame: Someone wasn't loved enough as a child  
Yuki: I have to agree with you...  
Zero: -eye twitch-  
Kaname: I think he's angry...  
Ayame: -pats Zero on head and hands him a cookie-  
Zero: -looks at cookie- You don't expect me to take that do you?  
Ayame: -blinks- The dark side has cookies...  
Kaname: -munches on a cookie- They're really good too  
Zero: -slams door on his way out-  
Yuki: Can I have Zero's cookie?

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	3. Kiss Goodnight

Sorry for the wait everyone. I had 3 wisdom teeth removed and I haven't exactly been feeling all that great. Anyways, here's the new chapter. It's pretty long, eleven pages, so I hope you enjoy. Please review

_Thank you for reviewing:  
Blood-Stained-Wish_ - thanks for the cookie, but don't worry, I already planned out what I wanted to happen with Ayame before your review. Actually I had already started writing cuz I couldn't wait. Hope you like this turnout :)

_hotarusgirlforever_ - yay, my second review from you, thanks

_Ookami Kiba_ - I like the word bums for those who don't review -wink- Have fun in Greece!! I just got back from two weeks in Japan

_yunibell_ - Thank you for reviewing!

_Chapter Three  
Kiss Goodnight  
By DarkHeartMistress_

**Previously  
**_Looking at her watch in the dim light, she realized that it was dinner time back at Cross Academy and that she should be getting back or face a long 'chat' with her uncle. She wasn't so much worried about the chat as having to sit through a discussion where every other sentence had 'Ayame-chan' in it._

_She began making her way back down the alley way which she had come from. Ayame had absolutely no idea where she was which made matters even worse. All she could do was try and find a larger, more populated street or find someone and ask directions from. A sound from in front of her caused her to pause. It sounded like shuffling feet._

_Squinting into the darkness she called out. "Hello? Excuse me, would you mind giving me directions?" She said, her tone attempting to be polite._

_No response came, which irritated her even more. What a jerk! She continued moving forward again, following the sounds of the shuffling feet. Turning the corner onto another street, she found herself at the entrance of a small courtyard area. A light post shone down on the center where a man stood with his back to her._

_Approaching cautiously, Ayame began to ask for directions again. His silence irritated her and her annoyance with being ignored caused her to walk up to him rashly. However, when he turned around his wild eyes caught hers. Fear edged its way into her subconscious at the sight before her._

"_Level E…" she whispered._

* * *

Taking a step backwards in shock, Ayame stared at the sight in front of her. What were the chances she would have this much bad luck? Apparently her chances were quite high. Pushing her slight fear to the back of her mind, she narrowed her eyes at the creature and glanced around at her surroundings. A brief glance told her there were only two ways out of the small courtyard.

The street she had just come from was dark and riddled with intersecting side streets. She would get lost easily and probably wind up in a dead end somewhere without meaning to. The other option was behind the Level E in front of her. Behind him was a set of stairs leading downward onto what seemed to be a partially lighted street.

Having chosen which of the two ways out of this predicament, Ayame was now faced with another problem: how to get past the bastard in front of her who would like nothing more than to rip her throat out…

Foolishly, Ayame had left the Academy with no weapons and there was nothing in sight which she could use to defend herself. Even a broom handle would be helpful at this point. As she reached this train of thought, her gaze shifted back to the monster in front of her just as he lunged towards her, his arms out to grab her.

Ayame was prepared for the swift movements of the Level E in front of her. Quickly, she dropped to the ground and rolled to the side, away from his lunge. She pushed herself to her feet quickly and through her leg out in a kick as the beast lunged at her again. Her foot caught him in the stomach and sent him crashing to the ground a few feet away.

She smirked slightly as the creature lay sprawled on the ground. She wished she did not have to fight without a weapon, but outrunning this monster was out of the question, it would catch her easily if she ran.

The creature peered up at her from where it lay on the ground before jumping at her once more. She dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding its outstretched hand which was intent upon grabbing her. Without a moments notice, the creature had changed directions again and had sent out its hand once more, reaching for her throat. This time Ayame was not fast enough and the creature's hand managed to swipe her in the face. Her body felt like a rag doll as the force from the blow sent her through the air until her body's momentum was forcibly stopped by the brick wall of one of the buildings surrounding the courtyard. Upon contact, her body slid to the ground in a heap.

"Damn bastard," she muttered irritably.

For the second time that day Ayame saw spots dancing behind her eyelids as she struggled to breathe; the wind having been knocked out of her when her ribs made contact with the wall. Finally opening her eyes after a few moments, she looked up to see the Level E advancing upon her. Bracing her hands against the wall, Ayame pushed herself up as she prepared to square off against the monster once more. The movement left her breathless once more and a sharp pain came from her chest. Dizziness also threatened to overwhelm her as a throbbing pain came from the back of her head. Yet another reminder of why bodies connecting forcibly with walls was not a good thing.

_That impact probably broke a few ribs,_ Ayame thought angrily as she glared in the direction of the creature. She was in a shit load of trouble now. Her eyesight was slightly blurred, probably from a concussion, and she probably had a few broken ribs. Things were not going in her favor.

The creature grinned menacingly at her as it advanced. As the Level E licked its lips in anticipation, she could see its fangs peeking out from its mouth. This was not good.

Ayame's body was slow to react as the creature lunged at her for the third time. However, she pushed herself away from the wall and twisted on her right foot. Her smooth maneuver allowed her to avoid the Level E as it crashed into the wall where she had previously been leaning on. The creature turned to look at her before leaping, its hands outstretched in an attempt to grab her.

Ayame stepped backwards, trying to avoid the oncoming creature. However, her foot suddenly met air and she felt herself shifting backwards and falling. _The stairs…_ the thought came to her mind an instant before her body made hard contact with the sharp edges of the stairs. Her beaten body rolled down the last few stairs until she came to a stop. Pain shot through her body like an electric current causing her to black out for a moment before she regained consciousness. If her ribs hadn't been broken before, they definitely were now. She was struggling to breathe as she lay motionlessly at the bottom of the stairs.

Opening her eyes, she met one of the worst sights she had ever experienced. Staring not four inches from her face was a pair of deep maroon eyes which held a maniacal glint to them. The Level E crouched above her, its wide, crazy eyes seemed to laugh at her as one of its hands moved to grab her neck.

As the cold appendages made contact there was suddenly a loud gunshot like noise. The creature was thrown backwards off of her to the ground where it hissed in agony before disappearing into a dust cloud.

Ayame remained where she was, her eyes staring blankly up at the night sky above her. It hurt to breathe. Attempting to wiggle the fingers of her right arm she found it hurt to move as well. The sound of footsteps approached her. She was in too much of a pain filled daze to do much; however relief filled her as a face with silver hair and grey eyes looked down into her own.

"Z… Zero…" Ayame attempted to speak, but the pain from her chest made her wheeze out his name. The guardian crouched down beside her and began checking the other wounds on her body. Blood was dripping from a cut on her forehead as well as from the split lip she had received earlier that evening. Zero stared at the red liquid for a moment before shaking his head. He looked as if he was trying to regain his concentration.

"Do you think you can sit up?" He asked looking down at her.

Ayame did a mental assessment of her body. She felt as if someone had dropped her off of a cliff and then thrown a giant boulder on top of her. The word 'no' instantly came to mind, but her stubbornness forced her to use her left arm to push herself up. Zero assisted her and pulled her into a sitting position. Her vision swam and Zero had to hold her upright or else she would have fallen back to the ground.

For a moment Zero looked to be considering something before crouching down in front of her with his back to her. "Can you get on to my back?" He asked as he lifted her left arm over his shoulder and waited for the other one.

Ayame took a shallow breath and moved to put her other arm over his shoulder. It did not hurt as bad now, but when he pulled her body against his back she tensed instantly. Her chest hurt horribly now and she knew it was going to be an uncomfortable piggy back ride on Zero. His hands had moved behind him to support her bottom, which relieved some of the pressure on her chest.

Zero stood as soon as he felt she was secure and began walking down the street. Ayame's conscious came and went as Zero walked. One of her waking moments was when Zero had hailed a taxi cab and had placed her gently in the back seat. The driver had exchanged nervous glances, but Zero's no nonsense gaze kept the driver from saying anything.

Ayame made a mental note to thank Zero at a later time when she could breathe without being overcome with pain and to ask him how he had known she was there. That was one of the last things she remembered as her conscious left her again.

* * *

Yuki sat impatiently on the front steps of the school. It had already been two hours since Zero had disappeared, promising her that he would check the nearby town for her missing cousin. Yuki had stayed on campus and with her 'father' in tow they had searched the school grounds. Ayame was no where to be found.

Chairman Cross had asked Yuki to bring Ayame to him earlier that day because he had several papers she needed to go over with him to finalize her school transfer. However upon discovering Ayame was no where to be found on a brief search of the grounds, her 'father' had sent Zero to search in town as the he and Yuki did a more thorough search of the campus. They had even visited the Moon Dorm. Kaname had seemed unsurprised that Ayame would go missing, but he had assisted with searching the school grounds. Nothing.

Now all Yuki and Chairman Cross could do was wait to see if Zero had found Ayame in town. Going into town was against the rules unless given permission and Chairman Cross was already coming up with the speech he would recite to Ayame about following the rules.

"I hope Ayame and Zero are alright." Yuki muttered as she sat with her chin resting on her knees.

The headlights of a car coming up the driveway caught her attention and Yuki's head immediately shot up. She ran inside quickly to inform her 'father' that a car was coming up the driveway.. The older man immediately followed her to the entrance as the taxi cab pulled up to the front steps.

Zero stepped out and immediately motioned Yuki and Chairman Cross to help him as he pulled Ayame from the back seat.

"What on earth happened!?" Came Chairman Cross' shrill voice at the sight of his bruised and bloody niece.

"Aya…" Yuki whispered in despair at the unconscious body of her cousin.

"I'll explain later." Zero responded quickly as he and Chairman Cross went inside the building. Yuki was left behind to pay the taxi fare and deal with the driver's questioning stare.

* * *

The sunlight filtering in from the bedroom window was the first thing that Ayame was aware of the next morning. The annoyingly bright light irritated her eyes as she opened them and glanced about the room she was in. The room was not her own and the only other person she could think of who would give up their room for her would be her uncle.

Her gaze drifted about the room. The queen size bed she currently rested in was in the far corner of the room near an open window. Several other windows dotted the walls of the large room. Bookshelves covered an entire wall on the opposite side of the room and in the opposite corner 

of the bed sat an immense desk littered with papers; probably an extension of his office. In another corner of the room sat a large grandfather clock as well as a couch and several comfortable looking chairs which surrounded a circular coffee table. This was where she found her uncle. A slight snoring noise came from Chairman Cross who sat upright, but sleeping in one of the chairs.

Ayame closed her eyes and did a mental check of her body. Her chest ached still, but other than a slight headache the rest of her body seemed in tact. At that moment, the door to the room opened and Yuki entered looking quite tired. She carried a tray with several bowls on it into the room and sat it down on the table in front of Chairman Cross. When her gaze drifted to the bed her chocolate eyes met aqua and instant recognition lighted in her eyes.

"Aya! You're awake." Yuki said delightedly as she shook Chairman Cross' shoulder before running to the bed to peer down at Ayame.

"Wha… huh… I wasn't sleeping!" Chairman Cross muttered as he woke from his slumber. His confused gaze darted around the room before seeing Yuki standing next to Ayame. Joy lit up over his face as he threw himself from the chair he had been residing in and ran to Ayame's bedside. "Ayame-chan!" he said excitedly, "I was so worried about you."

Ayame closed her eyes in an attempt to alleviate the irritation his shrill voice had on her ears. She nodded in acknowledgement before opening her eyes once more. She made to push herself up into a sitting position with the assistance of Yuki and Chairman Cross.

In embarrassment, Ayame realized that she had been undressed and that her upper torso wrapped in a tight bandage. Her gaze lingered there for a moment before Yuki caught her line of thinking.

"We had the school nurse take care of you. She said you have two or three broken ribs." Yuki stated as she recalled what the nurse had told her. "You also have a concussion." Ayame lifted one of her hands to her forehead and gingerly felt the gauze that was taped there. "But other than a few bruises and cuts, that's it." She finished brightly.

"Thank you." Ayame said quietly as she covered herself with the blanket.

"Zero told us what happened." Chairman Cross said seriously as he gazed down at his niece. "Why did you go into town without telling me?"

"I just had to pick up a few things." Ayame said halfheartedly trying to defend herself. She didn't really care if she got a tongue lashing from her uncle or not. She had suffered far worse than a concussion and a few broken ribs before. "I didn't think it was a big deal."

"You could have been killed!" Chairman Cross replied loudly once more.

"Next time I'll know to take a weapon." Ayame responded matter of factly. She watched with slight amusement as an outraged look crossed her uncle's face.

"A… a weapon! That's all you've got to say?!" He sputtered in outrage.

"Yuki, can you thank Zero for me?" Ayame questioned as she began ignoring her fuming uncle.

"Of course." Yuki smiled brightly. The grandfather clock in the corner by the coffee table struck noon. Yuki glanced at it in shock before mumbling, "I got to go or I'll be late for class. Bye Aya, I'll see you later." With that, Yuki ran to the door and was gone.

Ayame's eyes softened as she turned back to her uncle. "I'm sorry," she whispered looking at his distraught face.

"Just don't do that again. I was so worried when Zero pulled you out of the taxi unconscious. I had no idea what had happened to you." Chairman Cross replied as he pulled up a wooden chair and sat down next to the bed.

"I ran into a Level E after chasing a thief." Ayame said as she attempted to recollect her thoughts from the night before. "The damn bastard stole my wallet."

"Just don't do anything so rash again." Chairman Cross said seriously. He got up for a moment and returned carrying a bowl of soup from the table where Yuki had set the tray down. "It'll be uncomfortable, but you have to get something down."

Ayame took the bowl from him and stared at the contents of it before taking the offered spoon. The first sip was good, but hard to get down due to the pain in her ribs.

As Ayame began to eat the soup, Chairman Cross studied his niece. So much had happened to her in her short life and he felt guilty for not being able to stop any of it. His sister, Ayame's mother had died about six years ago. No, died wasn't the right word for it. The correct word for what had happened to Ayame's family was _murdered._ Chairman Cross sighed as he thought back to the day when his young niece had arrived at Cross Academy for the second time in her life.

* * *

_The young child standing in front of Chairman Cross looked cold and distant. Aqua eyes stared blankly in front of her as the little girl with waist length black hair and wearing a soft blue dress stood quietly. She had met her uncle before as a younger child, but the now eleven year old child held a blank look without any bit of recognition in it._

"_Ayame-chan…" Chairman Cross said as he knelt down to her eye level._

_The little girl merely stared straight ahead. Chairman Cross looked at her with sad eyes before saying, "Let's go inside and have some lunch." _

_The girl did not respond, however she allowed him to usher her into the building._

_A little while later, Chairman Cross had set the young girl up in a room across the hall from his. This way, he would be near by if she needed anything. He had tried everything to get the child to laugh or smile. He couldn't even get a word out of her. The child was just too traumatized by what she had witnessed and been through. He was starting to worry about her mentality since she had not yet spoken to him and had already been within his care for two weeks._

"_Ayame, sweetheart, why don't you talk to Uncle?" Chairman Cross said one night as the young girl sat in his room. He was seated in a chair by the window where she stood gazing out at the full moon._

_Her aqua eyes shifted to him and for the first time she did not hold a blank stare, but a very sad gaze._

"_I… I… don't want what happened to Mommy and Daddy to happen to you." She said after a moment. "It's my fault they are dead. All my fault." She whispered quietly as she stared at her uncle, tears brimming in her eyes._

_Chairman Cross was surprised by her confession and immediately had enveloped the small child in a hug. She was small for her age and her body was underweight as well. Was her lack of weight because of how traumatized she was or from something else? She had been eating well since coming into his care, yet she had only gained a little weight since being there. His worry made him make a mental reminder to have her see a doctor soon._

"_It's alright," Chairman Cross said as he tried to comfort his crying niece. He patted her back gently before continuing on, "Why would you say it's your fault about your parents? It wasn't you who hurt them."_

"_But it is…" the child hiccupped between her tears as she wiped the droplets of water from her face. "I led the bad man to my parents. It's all my fault." _

"_You can't control what other people do." Chairman Cross said as he gazed into the sad eyes of his niece._

"_The vampire… he told me it was my fault." She said after several minutes of quiet._

"_Not all vampires are bad. This one though must have been a very bad vampire. He shouldn't blame innocent children for his own mistakes." He responded, trying to ease the guilt stricken mind of his young charge. "Blaming you just makes him weak. You're a very strong girl, Ayame."_

_Ayame stood in her uncle's arms for a few moments more in silence before she let out a tired sigh._

"_You're tired sweetheart." Chairman Cross said as he picked Ayame up and began walking her to her room. "Why don't we continue talking tomorrow. You'll feel better the more you talk about what happened." _

_Tucking the child into bed that night had left Chairman Cross with a heavy heart. The details of her parent's deaths were vague, no one truly knew what had happened to her. A group of vampire hunters had found her among the carnage that was her home. The group had entered the house to find the once pristine walls coated with blood and a young child sitting on the floor. Her father's body had been lying nearby, but her mother's was no where to be seen. The child had not spoken, only stared hauntingly in front of her._

"_Goodnight, Ayame-chan." Chairman Cross said as he left the room._

"The soup is good." Ayame spoke, effectively breaking her uncle free from the memories that were flashing in front of his mind's eye.

"Hmmm…." He noised in response as he looked at his niece. She had changed since that day six years ago. Of course she had matured into a young lady and changed physically, but there had also been a small change mentally. She was not as quiet or distant as she had been and seemed to be able to talk to people and have fun. Chairman Cross smiled cheerfully as he watched his niece take another sip of the soup.

"That reminds me," He started, "Kaname-kun said he would stop by later to see how you were doing."

Soup went flying from Ayame's mouth as she sputtered in disbelief at her uncle… _Kaname…-kun…_ Her aqua eyes stared at him in shock as he laughed at her disgruntled appearance.

"He seems quite fond of you and was quite worried when I told him what had happened." Chairman Cross said cheerfully, enjoying his niece's perturbed face. It was only once in a rare while when he got to see his niece become upset and disgruntled, and he enjoyed seeing the change in expression on her face.

"What the hell did you tell him?" She glared threateningly at her uncle. _That's all I need… a damn vampire checking in on me,_ Ayame thought to herself as she continued glaring her uncle down.

"Kaname-kun was just worried about you." Was the only response Chairman Cross gave as he stood up. "Seeing as how you look full now, I'll take your dish back to the kitchen." With that, Ayame's uncle fled the room and her seething gaze.

"Meddlesome old coot…" Ayame muttered once she was alone.

* * *

Later that night, Ayame had finally convinced her uncle to let her return to her dorm. Yuki and Chairman Cross had helped her back to her room and given her some medicine for her cuts and bruises.

Once everyone had been cleared out, Ayame realized how nice peace and quiet was. As much as she liked Yuki, Ayame had quickly realized that the girl was quite a lot like Chairman Cross, talkative and cheerful.

Sitting down on her bed, Ayame sighed in relief at the quiet of the room. She was now wearing a pair of navy blue pajama bottoms and a white tank top, courtesy of sending Yuki to her room for some clothes.

"You're looking better." Came a masculine voice from the darkened corner of Ayame's room.

Ayame jumped up from her bed and whirled to face the speaker. She had been unprepared for finding someone in her room, least of all Kaname.

Kaname smiled from where he stood, leaning against her wall near the window. His dark gaze travelled down her body in a quick assessment, lingering at her forehead where the gauze was still taped, and on her chest, where the bandages peaked over her tank top.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ayame demanded irritably as she moved to her desk where a pitcher of water sat next to several cups, her mouth suddenly dry at his appearance. Pouring herself a glass of water, she took a sip and glared over the rim at the unwelcome guest in her room.

"Can't a friend come and check up on you?" He questioned lightly as he pushed away from the wall and approached her. She stayed where she was, glaring at him as he came within several feet of her.

"Whoever said you were a friend." She grumbled putting the now empty glass down on the table. "I don't need your concern either. I can take care of myself." With that, she turned to walk towards her bathroom.

However, Ayame didn't make it but a step before a hand on her elbow and a gentle tug pulled her back towards Kaname who had stepped forward to meet her. He stopped her gently, careful to avoid her ribs as his hands went to hold hers from trying to hit him. His dark gaze frightened her slightly and caught her off guard.

"If you can take care of yourself so well, how come Kiryu had to bring you back unconscious?" Kaname said darkly as he watched her wide, unguarded eyes.

"I… It was an accident. I was foolish. I'm fine now, see?" She said haughtily as she attempted to pull her hands from his grasp.

"Indeed, you are definitely foolish." Kaname said absently as he pushed Ayame gently backwards until she came into contact with the wall of her room.

"Let… me… go…" She ground out behind clenched teethe. She was not happy with the position she was in right now and the glare she was sending in Kaname's direction would have withered anyone other than a vampire.

Kaname watched her vibrant eyes flash in irritation and he couldn't help but grin. Pushing her buttons was highly amusing. Even when Ayame tried not to show emotion, Kaname found it his goal to get her to show something.

Without warning, his head dipped and his lips met Ayame's gently. Aqua eyes widened in complete surprise and she gasped against his mouth. Kaname took this opportunity to deepen the kiss as his tongue swept past her lips and into her mouth. Ayame was shell-shocked for a moment before her eyes closed and she moaned into his mouth. She had never been kissed like this… he was good.

Her tongue lightly caressed his and Kaname could not stop himself from releasing her hands and moving one of his own up to gently cup her face while the other rested on her bare, slim waist where his thumb made a circular motion on the skin between her tank top and pajama bottoms. Upon being free, Ayame's own hands went up around Kaname's neck despite the slight twinge of pain she received from her ribs.

Ayame broke the passionate kiss and took a deep breath of air. Kaname took this time to nibble on her ear which sent shivers throughout her body. Her wide, shocked eyes met Kaname's as he pulled back, a small smirk on his face at her flushed face.

Her blood pounded in her veins as Ayame looked up into Kaname's amused gaze. That amusement broke the spell he had over her. The damned asshole was… laughing at her?!

"Get off of me." Ayame spoke in a level tone as she pushed Kaname away from her and leaned against the wall, trying to get her breath back. Kaname stood quietly where she had pushed him away and continued his devilish smirk.

"What the hell is so funny?" She ground out, glaring at him.

Kaname watched her annoyed expression with humor. His feet moved toward her and once again he had her backed up against the wall, his body effectively blocking her. One of his arms came up and rested against the wall, while the other fell to her hip once more. "Now you can't say you don't want me." He said simply, his eyes dancing with amusement.

"Like hell I want you." She snapped back. She hated being toyed with, and that was exactly what he was doing.

Without warning, his lips descended upon her once more. Ayame couldn't stop herself from moaning into his mouth again as he nibbled her lip. Their tongues met as Kaname deepened the kiss into Ayame's all too willing mouth. Kaname's hand, which had previously been resting on her hip, drifted upwards until it was resting on her breast, separated only by the tank top and bandage around her ribs. This contact broke Ayame out of her haze and she broke the kiss. Her eyes stared bewildered at him.

"That was a convincing attempt at dislike." Kaname said bemusedly as he pushed away from the wall. He gave her one last handsome smirk before tossing something on her bed and walking out the door of her room.

Ayame was too shell-shocked to move and remained where she was, leaning against the wall. She wasn't quite able to comprehend anything at the moment because her mind was still replaying their kiss over and over in her head. The fingers of her right hand went up and touched her lips, as if disbelieving that they were her own. Had she really just kissed Kuran Kaname?

Her heart beat wildly within her chest as her bewildered gaze flickered around the room before landing on the object Kaname had thrown onto her bed. She staggered over to her bed and sat down, picking up the object. Surprise worked its way into her expression as she stared at the form of her wallet.

"How did he…" Her voice trailed off as her gaze flickered to the door Kaname had just exited out of and then back to the object in her hand.

That night Ayame found it hard to sleep, her mind constantly wandered back to her encounter with Kaname. He provoked feelings within her she did not know that she possessed. These feelings scared her. She did not know what they were and was unsure of what to do about them. Her mind finally gave way to sleep, leaving her with dreams of passionate kisses and a smirking Kaname which she would be irritable about in the morning.

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